The Ionia City Council unanimously approved the second reading and adoption of two ordinances at its meeting Tuesday night after public hearings on the matters drew no public comment. Both ordinances, presented to council in December, will become effective Sunday.

Ordinance No. 496 authorizes the city to continue a levy of up to 2 mills for environmental response and clean-up.

The city began levying a clean-up millage in 2006 under Ordinance 440 to offset escalating clean-up costs of the Cleveland Street landfill, and decreasing state funding to offset these costs. The new ordinance expands the purposes for which the money can be used, allowing for the funds to cover costs “associated with the investigation, acquisition, clean-up and remediation of the properties within the city” – in particular, properties that may be acquired in the future under the city’s recently approved master plan.

The millage will continue to be set annually by city council as it prepares its annual budget.

The other ordinance approved at the council meeting was Ordinance No. 497, which rezones the property at 524 W. Main St. from R-1 – Single Family Residential to O – Office.

The prospective buyer of the property, Beverly Anderson, made the request for the zoning change so she could convert the home to a counseling office. The planning commission approved the site plan for the property and the Zoning Board of Appeals granted two site-plan related variances in December.

Council member Gordon Kelley, who represents the First Ward and lives on Main Street, said neighbors had some concerns about who would be using Anderson’s office.

“We're bringing in a business to a residential district,” Kelley said. “We would like to know who these clientèle are.”

Anderson explained she and the four other counselors work primarily with children, families, and women who have been abused. Counselors provide trauma work, and do some drug or alcohol assessments and offer some treatment for that, Anderson said.

“We work more with the victims than the perpetrators,” she said.

After more discussion, which was joined by neighbors in the audience who asked questions regarding the safety of their children, the ordinance was approved.

Mayor Dan Balice said the neighbors had “very legitimate concerns.

“I don’t blame your wanting to know what this proposal is,” he said. “That's a nice block. We don't want to see it go to seed.”

In other business, the city council approved a resolution approving supplements to contracts for refunding 2004 and 2005 utility bonds and requesting the issuance of new bonds to fund a number of street improvements to take place in the summers of 2013 and 2014. The action will result in an anticipated savings of $90,000, said City Manager Jason Eppler.

Page 2 of 2 - Council approved the introduction and first reading of Ordinance No. 498, which would create a Parks and Recreation Commission to advise the city council, city manager and parks and recreation director.

“Parks and rec programs have been phenomenal,” said Council Member Ted Paton of the First Ward. “Anything we can do to support you guys, I'm all for it.”

Council also approved a second round of adjustments to the fiscal year 2012-2013 city budget, referred to by Robin Marhofer, director of finance/treasurer, as “a tune-up”; accepted the low bid of $11,900 by Franklin Holwerda Company to install an upper bar screen replacement at the wastewater treatment plant; and approved an application for financial assistance for Dial-A-Ride through the State of Michigan.